Baker's Delight & Brumby's Bakery - A Comparison Post

Chances are, if you live in a city somewhere in Australia, you will have at some point come across a Baker’s Delight, or a Brumby’s Bakery.

If you’re like me, you may have noticed the similarities the two franchises have.

In my eyes, Baker’s delight was the OG.

Images: Brumby's Bakery Cannonvale, Qld (Left), Baker's Delight St Agnes, SA (Right).

In my hometown, we always bought our bread from Baker’s Delight, and whenever we’d come to Adelaide, I’d note the resemblance Brumby’s had to them and think they were just copying.

However, I now recently realized that I had no actual evidence to support my belief that Baker’s Delight were superior to Brumby’s.

So, today I wanted to explore some aspects of these two bakery franchises, in search of a more balanced comparison.

Origins

The first Baker’s Delight opened in the suburb of Hawthorn in Melbourne in May of 1980, by Roger and Lesley Gillespie.

By 1988, the Gillespies owned 15 Baker’s Delight stores and decided to franchise, and now offer franchise opportunities in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

Brumby’s first opened its doors as the “Old Style Bread Centre” in the suburb of Ashburton in Melbourne in 1975 (making it the OG, technically), before becoming Brumby’s in the 1980s.

Interestingly, the “Old Style Bread Centre” in Ashburton, was in fact initially started by Roger Gillespie, the co-founder of Baker’s Delight, before Michael Sherlock rebranded it as “Brumby’s”.

The name “Brumby’s” came from the idea that the brand would be stronger with a “uniquely Australian” identity.

Unlike Baker’s Delight which went global, Brumby’s Bakeries are still only found in Australia.

Products

Both Baker’s Delight and Brumbies offer a wide range of bread and rolls, as well as smaller savoury and sweet products.

Baker’s Delight’s range consists mainly of products made from a yeast-based dough; such as loaves of bread, various rolls, pizzas, finger buns and scrolls.

They also offer various artisan breads, including Turkish Bread and Sourdough, and pastries like Croissants and Danishes.

The menu at Brumby’s is relatively similar, however, the range extends to more traditional Australian Bakery items and ready-to-go options.

Image by https://pixabay.com/users/tibine-238708/

For example, Brumby’s also offer Pies and muffins, as well as ready made sandwiches and rolls.

This added level of convenience means that you will often see Brumby’s Bakeries in service stations and food courts, as their products are quick and ready to eat.

The Final Verdict

Both Baker’s Delight and Brumby’s Bakeries are both well-established bread franchises in Australia.

They both came from humble beginnings as local bakeries in suburban Victoria, and have each since grown into reputable business with loyal customers.

While I may be more of a loyal customer to Baker’s Delight, Brumby’s is not without its own unique charms.